INDIA’S food regulatory authority is all set to notify a comprehensive food safety regulation by January 2011. The Food Safety and Standards (FSS) Regulation will integrate all previous food safety acts like the Prevention of Food Adulteration Act, 1954.
But the draft regulations put up on the website of the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) does not include labelling of genetically modified (GM) food. It looks like a compilation of previous acts.

THE Union agriculture ministry has refused to lower standards for imported milk despite some coaxing by the Barack Obama administration during the US president’s recent visit to India. The Department of Animal Husbandry said its milk import norms would remain unchanged.

Recombinant Bovine Growth Hormone (rBGH) is a genetically engineered variation of naturally occurring hormone injected into cows to increase milk production
The US is the only developed nation to allow injection of rBGH in cows. The European Union, Canada, New Zealand, Australia have banned the drug. Codex Alimentarius Commission, a UN body that sets international food standard, does not approve rBGH
In 2002, Europe banned blood meal in feed, but it is still allowed in the United States

CHHATTISGARH
“It was a crazy time and we took great risks,” said Alok Shukla. “Sometimes I shudder to think what would have happened if we had not succeeded. We would have been facing audit questions the rest of our lives.” Shukla was referring to his challenging time as food secretary of Chhattisgarh during 2007-08 when he transformed the crumbling and corrupt PDS into an efficient, streamlined organisation. Thankfully, Shukla succeeded and was given the Prime Minister’s Award for Excellence in Public Administration for 2008-09 along with two other officials.

Since May the media has been beaming images of foodgrain rotting in various parts of the country. FCI’s investigation revealed that grain costing nearly Rs 50 lakh was damaged at Harduaganj, Orai and Hapur in Uttar Pradesh. “We have to procure all the grain that farmers bring to us if it meets the criteria. There is no limit to how much we can procure. In the past three years, because of good minimum support price, procurement has been massive,” said an FCI official.